Really? You think that the ease of doing something has nothing to do with how many people do it, then? Hmm.
no - I think the method of suicide is sometimes dependent upon the ease of access to a method, but it is not in any way the predominant deciding factor for suicidal ideation nor the action/attempt.
If you take guns away the suicide rate goes way down, yes. But don't take my word for it:
ah... then perhaps you had better move to
Japan?
and take
Matthew Miller, Research Associate Deborah Azrael, and colleagues at the
Harvard's School of Public Health Injury Control Research Center (ICRC) with you, because they apparently didn't get the
news.
suicide is often considered as effective solutions to stressors because of societal and cultural beliefs
when you're talking suicide as a determining factor to control anything, you first have to be conversant in suicide
[qupte]Suicidal thoughts and behaviors (including suicide attempts and death by suicide) are commonly found at increased rates among individuals with psychiatric disorders, especially major depressive disorder, bipolar disorders, schizophrenia, PTSD, anxiety, chemical dependency, and personality disorders (e.g., antisocial and borderline). A history of a suicide attempt is the strongest predictor of future suicide attempts, as well as death by suicide. Intentional self-harm (i.e., intentional self-injury without the expressed intent to die) is also associated with long-term risk for repeated attempts as well as death by suicide.
Psychiatric co-morbidity (greater than one psychiatric disorder present at the same time) increases risk for suicide, especially when substance abuse or depressive symptoms coexist with another psychiatric disorder or condition..
A number of psychosocial factors are also associated with risk for suicide and suicide attempts. These include recent life events such as losses (esp. employment, careers, finances, housing, marital relationships, physical health, and a sense of a future), and chronic or long-term problems such as relationship difficulties, unemployment, and problems with the legal authorities (legal charges). Psychological states of acute or extreme distress (especially humiliation, despair, guilt and shame) are often present in association with suicidal ideation, planning and attempts. While not uniformly predictive of suicidal ideation and behavior, they are warning signs of psychological vulnerability and indicate a need for mental health evaluation to minimize immediate discomfort and to evaluate suicide risk.
Certain physical disorders are associated with an increased risk for suicide including diseases of the central nervous system (epilepsy, tumors, Huntington’s Chorea, Alzheimer’s Disease, Multiple Sclerosis, spinal cord injuries, and traumatic brain injury), cancers (esp. head and neck), autoimmune diseases, renal disease, and HIV/AIDS. Chronic pain syndromes can contribute substantially to increased suicide risk in affected individuals.
Patients with traumatic brain injuries may be at increased risk for suicide. In comparison to the general population TBI survivors are at increased risk for suicide ideation (Simpson and Tate, 2002), suicide attempts (Silver et al. 2001) and suicide completions (Teasdale and Engberg, 2001). TBI-related sequelae can be enduring and may include motor disturbances, sensory deficits, and psychiatric symptoms (such as depression, anxiety, psychosis, and personality changes) as well as cognitive dysfunction. These cognitive impairments include impaired attention, concentration, processing speed, memory, language and communication, problem solving, concept formation, judgment, and initiation. Another important TBI sequelae that contributes to suicidal risk is the frequent increase in impulsivity. These impairments may lead to a life-long increased suicide risk which requires constant attention.
Although relatively rare, suicidal thoughts and behaviors are not uncommonly reported in the general population. A recent national survey (Kessler, et al., 1999) found that 13.5 % of Americans report a history of suicide ideation at some point over the lifetime, 3.9% report having made a suicide plan, and 4.6% report having attempted suicide. Among attempters, about 50% report having made a “serious” attempt. The percentages are higher for high school students asked about suicidal ideation and behavior over the preceding year: 16% report having seriously considered attempting suicide, 13% report having made a suicide plan, and 8.4% report having made an attempt during the prior 12 months (CDC, YRBS 2005). These numbers are even higher when a psychiatric disorder is present.
Often there is a transition that takes place along the continuum from ideation to plan to attempts. 34 % of individuals who think about suicide report transitioning from seriously thinking about suicide to making a plan, and 72% of planners move from a plan to an attempt. Among those who make attempts, 60% of planned attempts occur within the first year of ideation onset and 90% of unplanned attempts (which probably represent impulsive self-injurious behaviors) occur within this time period (Kessler, et al., 1999). These findings illustrate the importance of eliciting and exploring suicidal ideation and give credence to its role in initiating and fueling the suicidal process.
[/quote] -
www.mentalhealth.va.gov/docs/Suicide_Risk_Assessment_Guide.doc
If the only data you ever collected on automobiles were the deaths, accidents and uses in crime you would see the same type of statistical analysis by Harvard: owning a car makes you more likely to die by car.
Guns just make it much easier to perform quickly, easily and successfully. Which is why there are so many successful gun suicides in the US.
if that is the case then why aren't more women shooting themselves?
Surely it's far, far easier and should rank in the top ten causes of death in women per your claims and studies above...
see car analogy above, then
actually read and learn about suicide and the
barriers to treatment for mental health issues in the US
Training, by far, trumps what sort of weapon you have - as evinced by the recent cases we've been discussing.
and basic training in firearms with mild proficiency can make an 80 year old woman capable of repelling the attack of a youthful offender between 18 & 30
note: I am not claiming willingness or proficiency, only that she is capable
